The Days After
by Discord1
Summary: Post Brotherhood. Ed returns home to Winry, but finds his place at her side threatened. Can he win back her favor and remind her of the promise she made? Told entirely in 100 word drabbles and updated regularly.
1. Home

**The Days After**

By: Discord

A/N: Ed returns home to Winry, but finds his place at her side threatened. Can he win back her favor and remind her of the promise she made?

This fic will be told through 100 word drabbles (my first attempt!) and updated with 3-5 chapters each week. Read, review, and enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Home**

* * *

After three years, Amestris was under his feet once more. He slowed, reaching a familiar rock wall aging into decline. Faded yellow clapboards and green shutters lay beyond, tired in the waning light. A large automail plaque hung for customers, chalked in clumsy block letters that inspired little confidence in the finesse of the mechanic inside.

Ed tightened hold of his suitcase. _Breathe. Just breathe._

A dog's bark broke the air. He stuffed a hand in his pocket, nervously picking loose threads in its depths.

The bark came again, louder, sharper—full of warning. He startled.

Had he been forgotten?


	2. Unexpected

**Chapter 2 - Unexpected**

* * *

Oppressive heat, unabated in evening's descent, stuck clothes to his frame as he froze on a path he'd never hesitated down before, throat dry and tongue thick from the dust of travel.

Den barked a third time, sending the front door swinging inward. A head of blonde peeked out into the gathering shadows.

Ed tried to smile but his mouth failed miserably, sinking into a near-grimace as the woman squinted to see past her porch.

Blue eyes spied him and widened. She stiffened. A strangled gasp—almost pained—echoed off the steps between them. "Oh no," she whispered. "You're back."


	3. Changed

**Chapter 3 - Changed**

* * *

He felt as if he'd fallen to the bottom of Baschool's mine shaft again, impaled and left for dead. He tried to remember how to breathe but inhaling burned his lungs.

Winry stepped from the doorway, still holding the knob. She looked… _different._ Gone were the cargo shorts and carelessly-tied bandana. No oil greases smeared her cheeks. She wore a dress-like chemise – pink, thin and short – more slip than substance. It hung off one shoulder, baring skin in casual ease.

Ed's face reddened. She was dressed for bed and it wasn't dark yet. There could only be one reason why.


	4. Agog

**Chapter 4 - Agog**

* * *

He tried not to stare. Really. Eyes snapped to her face, but not before taking in a silhouette of striking lines, the curve of breasts and hips alluringly clear. Their definition made him wonder who she had been expecting in his place. Damp hair and glowing skin spoke of a finished bath.

An unfamiliar swirl of jealousy pushed aside his nerves, springing his clumsy, three-year-old proposal to mind. It stayed just behind his teeth, pushing to get out in a sputtered, accusing yell. Choking his suitcase handle, he swallowed hard.

In hindsight, he probably should have called while out west.


	5. Cold

**Chapter 5 – Cold  
**

* * *

Winry held the door, unwilling or unable to let go. A reflex smile, meant for strangers, lifted her mouth. "You must be tired," she made no move to beckon him inside. "How long have you been in Resembool?"

He spoke as he always had. Guile had never been in any of his alchemy texts. "About two hours," he made an attempt. "I came from the train station."

Her lip quirked. If she heard the purposefulness of his mention, she gave no further notice. "Well come in," she stepped back. "You're overdue for a service by now," her smile turned tight.


	6. All Wrong

**Chapter 6 – All Wrong**

* * *

Ed sat stiffly in the wooden chair she'd motioned him towards, his suitcase staying guardedly at his feet. Winry left him in the kitchen, citing the need for something more to wear.

He frowned. _Around me at least_.

There had been no hugs or teary smiles as he'd crossed the threshold into the house, just a murmur and pat for Den and a nod for him to follow. The dog now stared at the former state alchemist, cocking her head to the side and keeping her usually wagging tail still.

He wiped away sweaty bangs as he fought down panic.


	7. The Sear

**Chapter 7 – The Sear**

* * *

Winry tucked her retrieved sweater robe tighter around herself and reached for one of the steaming cups of tea she had placed between them. Brown ceramic sides were hot to the touch and she turned the cup in her hands, refusing to take its handle. The burn was good. It gave her something to focus on. Golden eyes watched her, making no move towards the other on the table. They seemed wary—_suspicious_—as they roamed her frame.

Looking into the face of an Elric brought a painful pang she thought she'd forgotten. She concentrated harder on her burning fingers.


	8. Mistake

**Chapter 8 – Mistake**

* * *

Winry's voice broke his careful study.

"Hmm?" Ed lifted from the damningly-long, bare legs folded neatly against her chair. They were half-hidden by her wrap, but far more exposed than he'd ever seen.

She tried again. "How was Creta?"

The question was light and conversational – not disinterested, but not as eager as he would have expected after such an absence.

She sipped her tea, looking over inquiringly. The whole thing smacked of politeness.

_My answer matters as little as I now do. _

The realization singed. He bit back a sigh, fully feeling the situation's gravity.

_I really should have called._

* * *

A/N: **Week of April 25, 2015:** 8 chapters posted (To stir some interest!)


	9. Reveal

A/N: Big thanks go out to CrimsonLotus and InconsciousSin for reviewing. I was a bit disheartened that folks weren't reading, and appreciate that you both did :).

Here's the first of this week's new chapters!

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Reveal**

* * *

His untouched tea had cooled as the last of the daylight sank below the horizon. Night darkened the windows, making them mirrors, and Ed mustered the courage to mention one of the _many_ things wrong with this reunion.

"Why are you wearing that?" The question came out sharper and more possessive than he'd meant it too, but was gratified when a spark of indignation lit Winry's eyes. It was the first hint of _her_ – the her he remembered – since he had arrived.

She hardened and lifted her chin. "Someone was coming by," she said flatly, winding her sweater even tighter.


	10. Jealousy

**Chapter 10 - Jealousy**

* * *

"Who?"

She met his stare, which had gone from shocked to outraged in a single heartbeat. "Not you," clipped annoyance rose. "I didn't even know you were still on the continent."

"Why would I have left?"

Winry shrugged, feeling cold despite the evening's lingering humidity. "You had nothing keeping you here."

The scrape of a hastily-pushed back chair interrupted his stunned silence. Cup and saucer clinked together as heavy steps bumped the table and stopped before her.

She raised her head, staring up at a face still full of youthful years.

His voice was hoarse and shaking. "I had _you_!"


	11. Rebuff

**Chapter 11 - Rebuff**

* * *

Despite her heart's traitorous quickening, Winry calmly rose, palming the man whose head cleared her own by more margin than she remembered, her hand light at his heaving chest. "You did," she said evenly, backing away. "But you've been gone a long time Ed."

His name surprised them both. She had rarely said it since winter – aloud at least – trying to keep the hurt from lasting too long, and he hadn't heard it ring so intimately since last seeing her, surrounded by a western world full of strange customs and women who weren't her.

"But I've returned," he said softly.


	12. Old Life

**Chapter 12 – Old Life**

* * *

With a mumbled pledge of being 'right back', Winry fled the kitchen, hiding a creeping blush and leaving Ed standing over her empty chair, full of adrenaline for a fight with an unknown enemy.

_Who was she planning to meet? Why would she do it in a dress with barely enough fabric to earn the title?!_

He clenched hands into fists, still marveling that the right now matched the left. His sacrificed alchemy and brother's return felt like a lifetime ago.

He turned to the empty doorway.

Was he just a frayed knot from that life? Something to tie up?


	13. Interloper

**Chapter 13 – Interloper**

* * *

Winry had changed into long boyish shorts and an overly-large t-shirt when she reappeared in the kitchen. Ed's eyes narrowed. The new black top she sported hung past her thighs, obviously belonging to a _man_. One _much_ broader than him.

How could an outfit that obscured her display of curves distract even _more_?!

"Let's check that leg," she offered, pretending not to notice his displeasure. "I'm sure the mechanics in Creta were baffled by your complex wiring."

He was feeling vindictive. "Actually," he patted his thigh. "They found it exceedingly primitive."

Her jaw dropped and fire erupted across her face.

* * *

A/N: **Week of May 2, 2015:** 5 chapters posted


	14. First Pathway

A/N: Thank you SO much to those who've reviewed! Alheli, BuggyNess, InconsciousSin, KD14, and Foxflame - you took a chance on this story when there wasn't much to go on, and I appreciate the support. I have 80 chapters finished now, and don't plan on stopping anytime soon :).

To celebrate you lovelies, I'm posting Saturday's update a day early!

* * *

**Chapter 14 – First Pathway**

* * *

Winry advanced on her worktable with angry determination, wrench in hand. Ed struggled not to gulp. Though he'd often thought of this table during his journey, it'd been in terms of what could be done atop it, splaying precious tools distractedly to the floor as hips were grabbed and moans lifted into the air. Actual mechanical maintenance had been far from his mind.

She jutted her chin to his pants. "You know the drill," expectant eyes flicked to his face. "Unless you've forgotten."

He frowned. "I haven't," he started undoing his belt with a boldness he didn't feel. "Have you?"


	15. Automail

**Chapter 15 – Automail**

* * *

She worked loudly, muttering curses and half-formed insults as she examined servos and loose bolts. "What have you _done_?" Winry tightened a screw at his knee. "This is in shambles."

A sheet lay over his waist, leaving usually-clad legs bare. Numerous new scars covered the one she ignored.

Ed gritted his teeth at the familiar pain, glad his right arm wasn't still ensnared in the torturous miracle of automail. "I had a lot to learn," he ground out. "The lessons weren't always easy."

Blue eyes shot to his angrily. "You should've been more careful! I invested a lot into this!"


	16. Accusations

**Chapter 16 - Accusations**

* * *

"But not now," he spat back. "Now you answer doors in outfits that leave nothing to the imagination," fury rose in his face, creasing lines she'd never seen and darkening his eyes almost brown.

She froze, bent over his leg. Her glare battled his. "You don't get a say anymore," she hissed. "You _left_ Ed."

He sat up, sending the sheet pooling down into his lap. "Then I don't have to hear your critique on my automail upkeep," his hands palmed the table's cool surface, shaking as they fought not to reach for her shoulders. "You don't get one either."


	17. Flare

**Chapter 17 - Flare**

* * *

Her breath hitched. Winry looked at the man she'd loved before puberty swept him clear of her bangs, his chest's span and defined arms, tense with restraint, filling the work room.

_He's trying not to touch me._

Blonde hair fell from his ponytail, leaving strands among a furrowed brow. Ire and betrayal sparked dangerously in a gaze she'd given up seeing again.

It was hard believing Ed was actually _here_, and harder swallowing he still cared enough for her words to sting. Was he narcissistic, or just naive? Had he really thought everything would wait? That lives could pause indefinitely?

* * *

A/N: Alheli asked about an update schedule, and I don't really have anything too exact. I _will_ always post two chapters on Saturday, but beyond that it gets murky. So far, I've been adding my remaining week's chapters (the originally stated 3-5) all by Wednesday. Hope that helps!

**Week of May 9, 2015:** 4 chapters posted.


	18. Holding Back

**Chapter 18 – Holding Back**

* * *

Winry voiced none of her turmoil. She deftly fitted and replaced worn parts, inserting new springs with a skill that left little doubt she'd done more than wait on porches in his absence.

Ed knew she wrestled. "You've gotten better," he tried breaking the silence she had erected. "More Rush Valley training, huh?"

She didn't answer. Her fingers twisted a set of frayed wires, sending a jerk jolting down his spine.

"Does that hurt?" She asked detachedly, falling into mechanic-mode.

He answered with a sullen glare.

Winry bent the wires further and he choked on a yelp.

"A lot then?"


	19. An Opening

**Chapter 19 – An Opening**

* * *

She sat back, rubbing her forehead and smearing a dark trail of rust across her brow. Oblivious, she closed her eyes, feeling the lateness of the hour. The smudge tugged at the hardness Ed was trying to shell around his heart. It made him miss her more than when he'd been hundreds of miles away.

"Your leg needs a part I don't have," she cracked an eye open, staring down at the metal limb now gleaming with a buffed shine. "You'll have to stay until it arrives."

He gave a measured nod, hiding a rush of hope and stomach knots.


	20. Alone

**Chapter 20 - Alone**

* * *

He caught the pillow she tossed over in surprise, standing in the living room with a pile of unceremoniously dropped sheets on the arm of the couch.

"What happened to your spare room?" He asked.

Winry turned for the banister. "It's been filled," she didn't look back. "Goodnight."

Ed watched her climb the stairs to the second floor, ending the night's stilted exchange without another word. Alone with his suitcase, he stared at walls which had once offered such solace, eclipsed only by the girl within them.

A lump rose in his throat.

Somehow, he had ruined everything. Ruined _Winry_.


	21. Loss

**Chapter 21 – Loss**

* * *

Ed lay with an arm under his head, staring up at the ceiling and willing his mind to quiet. Losing alchemy was nothing compared to Winry's arm-length welcome. The reasons he'd originally left for Creta seemed selfish and trivial.

_Why had I wanted to learn more of an art I couldn't use? I had her! _

He sighed heavily. His journey's duration had been out of his control, but he shouldn't have gone in the first place—he _knew _that. Remorse came crashing, wracking his insides and leaving him hollow. The west had never achieved such an effect, despite every effort.


	22. Emptiness

**Chapter 22 - Emptiness**

* * *

Sleep eluded him, the couch small and lumpy under his now-long frame as he grappled with regrets more painful than any recent scars. He wished he'd stayed and fulfilled his vow, eradicating every man's shirt Winry would wear but his. _His_ could hang low too.

Only _she_ could carve into his carefully-compartmentalized psyche, scooping out everything making him sane in an evening of polite coldness that gouged like a dull knife. He had needed declarations of missing and exuberant running-hugs and gotten only stiff nods and forced smiles. It felt like an echo could go on forever inside his chest.

* * *

A/N: **Week of May 16, 2015:** 5 chapters posted.


	23. Ghosts

**Chapter 23 - Ghosts**

* * *

Ed closed his eyes, seeing the girl who'd been a constant companion the last three years. Beneath eyelids, _his_ image of Winry smiled from under her bandana.

_Cheer up Ed_, she said encouragingly. _You know I'll come around._

_Will you?_ He accused. _You've forgotten me!_

Long hair danced as she tutted, shaking her head. _I haven't! I always worried your alchemy was more important than me. You've been gone so long… what was I supposed to think? I'm on my guard._

He wallowed._ But… now you have a boyfriend!_

Her smile widened, affection brimming in her eyes. _Is he you?_


	24. Pretend

**Chapter 24 - Pretend**

* * *

He knew he was dreaming, but didn't care—these altered-memory kinds were his favorite. Winry fussed over his automail arm, muttering as screws flew past her shoulders. Dangling blonde absently tickled his chest. There was no pain as she tinkered, only a contentedness that sank his frame.

"You should be more careful," she shot him a frown that tried for cross.

Propping himself up on an elbow, he gave her a long, serious look. "I'm sorry."

She paused in her repairs, hearing his amusement and defiance. "Oh?" A smile started. "How much?"

He grinned at the invitation. "I'll show you."


	25. Morning

**Chapter 25 - Morning**

* * *

Ed sat down at the table warily, staring at the mug of coffee as if it were drugged. Morning light shone through the open window and he turned away, cradling his head.

"Didn't sleep much?" Winry spoke from the stove, pouring herself a cup.

He offered a noncommittal grunt, then rethought the old habit. If she was willing to start a conversation, he could certainly wake himself enough to respond.

"No," he straightened. "I was thinking about you… and how you've changed."

The coffee kettle returned to the burner with a slam.

Winry whirled around, anger sparking in her eyes.

* * *

A/N: I've posted all three of this week's chapters today (Saturday) so there will be **no further updates** until next Saturday.

**Week of May 23, 2015:** 3 chapters posted.


	26. The Truth

A/N: Thank you to my hardy few who continue leaving reviews! EC has joined our merry band, doubling this drabble's review count and being awesome in general. Check out her Ed/Win stories if you're sick of the angst I'm putting them through and want our pair a bit more happy =P.

* * *

**Chapter 26 – The Truth**

* * *

Her voice trembled with barely-lidded ire. "What?!"

Ed's gaze widened. "I-I… was thinking about—."

"You don't get to think of me!" She grew thunderous. "I'm not yours anymore!"

He felt his own temper rise. It boiled hotter than the coffee. "Why not?" He challenged. "You made a promise!"

Winry's jaw swung wide.

"You said we didn't need an equivalent exchange!" He pushed back from the table and stood, glowering down his nose. "You said you'd be mine!"

Her mouth snapped closed. Stepping to meet him, she looked up, matching his fury. "We _both_ made a promise – and _you_ lied!"


	27. Abandoned

**Chapter 27 - Abandoned**

* * *

Ed reeled. _I WHAT?!_

He barely heard her next words.

"Three years is a long time to go without a visit… a letter… _a phone call_," Winry dropped her gaze as anger and hurt flushed her features. "I'm not property who waits to be picked up again," she choked. "You exacted my pledge, then thought _nothing_ of pushing me from your periphery. You _had_ to go to Creta, learn if you could reclaim your alchemy, find yourself," blue eyes were bitter as they stared at the floor. "I understood, so I waited," tears broached their depths. "And waited and _waited_."


	28. Gone

**Chapter 28 - Gone**

* * *

Her voice whittled down to whisper. "I didn't sleep, didn't eat – just wasted away into this heartbroken girl full of worry who didn't even know if you were _alive_," Winry blinked, wetting long lashes as the swell of sadness threatened to overflow. "That's not me."

Silence roared through the kitchen.

Only her sigh broke the din. "When I thought I couldn't lose anymore, the worst happened," she slowly lifted her gaze from his collar.

Pain stabbed him at the sorrow he saw. He flinched, knowing his part. Tears she couldn't hold back anymore spilled down her cheeks.

"Gran… died Ed."


	29. No Farewell

**Chapter 29 – No Farewell**

A ringing filled his ears and Kimblee's mine shaft returned. He staggered forward, bumping his chin into her forehead. "W-What?" The word moved her hair.

Winry nodded, blind to his proximity as she wiped her face, smearing trails with the back of her hands. He didn't need to see how much everything still hurt; she was trying to be strong. "Pneumonia took her last winter," she said hoarsely. "She passed away without you or Al here."

He squeezed his eyes shut. _No._

She stood woodenly as her news matriculated, jerking back when arms rose from his sides, reaching for her.


	30. Slow Dawning

**Chapter 30 – Slow Dawning**

* * *

He needed to take comfort as much as give it, but Winry wanted _none_ from him. Her elbow smacked against the stove's handle as he advanced. "Don't touch me!" She braced both hands out, palming his chest. "You're too late! She's gone!"

Ed stopped, a missing piece falling into place – why_ this_ girl was different from the one he dreamed of. Her eyes flashed their usual steel, but her upper lip trembled, exposing anguish that left a taste in the air. The confession had been costly.

_They needed me here at home. She needed me – and I let her down._

* * *

A/N: **Week of May 30, 2015:** 5 chapters posted


	31. Regret

**Chapter 31 – Regret**

* * *

Winry stood at the sunken porch railing, arms folded in summer's heavy-handed heat. Wisps of hair escaped her hasty ponytail, loosened from design, not breeze, in the still air.

She heard Ed behind her but didn't turn. He stopped too close, just beyond brushing against her and let exhales hit the back of her neck. Ignoring their thrill, she edged away.

A hand caught her waist. "Don't," he took her hip, threading fingers both gentle and grasping through the empty belt-loop of her shorts. "I'm sorry Winry."

She lifted her chin, staring impassively at the rock wall and green expanse.


	32. Resisting

**Chapter 32- Resisting**

* * *

"Did you hear me?"

She didn't answer.

The hand dug into khaki and skin, burning as it drew her close, shoring her up to a tense chest. Ed bent until lips were at her ear. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for Pinako. I never meant to leave you alone," he purposefully grazed her earlobe, more brazen than the old Ed ever was.

She didn't want him to still have power over her; long empty years had seen her run through every excuse. Her body rioted and began to quiver – seared against his frame. Unbidden curiosity mingled in her sadness.

_ Traitor!_


	33. Pangs

**Chapter 33 - Pangs**

* * *

Winry had thought a lot about her reunion with the elder Elric brother. The parameters had drastically shifted this year, but it'd once been her only comfort amidst longing threatening to devour her whole.

Before Gran left and_ he_ came into her life, she'd repeatedly rehearsed seeing Ed again. The first year had been full of heady flutters, shy glances and warm flushes; the second brimmed with steamy make-up sessions compensating for such a protracted absence. The third saw a sputtering of hope that extinguished with the last of her family. Now, she couldn't remember how any scenario had gone.


	34. Captured

**Chapter 34 - Captured**

* * *

They stood together on the porch, Ed still holding her waist. It was a thrill he couldn't hide. Winry was stiff, but stayed where she was, her back against him. She watched the hills beyond intensely, working not to look over.

He cleared his throat. "There's a reason I didn't call."

"I'm sure," she snapped, betraying the detached veneer.

He reached for her chin and she reared away, leaving his fingers empty. They twitched. He stared at the side of her face, trying to pull her gaze. "I was imprisoned by the Cretans Winry. For a year and a half."

* * *

A/N: Poor Edster! Boy can't get a break! Sorry to finish this week's update with a cliffy.

**Week of June 6, 2015:** 4 chapters posted


	35. Torture

**Chapter 35 - Torture**

* * *

He'd vowed not to tell her about the callous scientists who had injected, dissected, and interrogated him—how their drive for greater alchemic knowledge left them monsters worse than those of Central's Laboratory Five. His new scars could just be attributed to misadventures that proved memorable and benign. He had already made up several stories should she ask, sprinkled with just enough danger, to explain the worst ones.

"They wanted state secrets," he said simply. "And I wouldn't give any."

Winry shifted and met his eye. Knowing swam in her gaze, compassion and insight making her desire to hate waver.


	36. Scars

**Chapter 36 – Scars  
**

* * *

"But I should have called long before then," he admitted. "I had someone waiting for me who needed to know she was thought of."

Winry looked to the arms exposed by short shirt sleeves. Welts she hadn't noticed marred once-smooth skin. A blush crept across her cheeks. _I was too angry to even __see__ them._

Ed felt her gaze grow into study and backed up, suddenly self-conscious. His fingers slipped from her belt-loop. "I _am_ sorry," he repeated. "And I'm not that boy anymore."

She flicked back to his face, searching for something he couldn't see. "I _liked_ that boy."


	37. New Effort

**Chapter 37 – New Effort**

* * *

"He liked you too," he confided, wincing at the candor; charm still wasn't one of his strengths. He pressed on, dropping his eyes to the warped boards under their feet. "But he took you for granted."

The effort was rewarded with a ghost of smile. "He did," Winry nodded in the stagnant air. "And he never outgrew it."

His failing made the porch suddenly confining. Ed fumbled for his voice. "What if he wants to now?"

Her gaze lost its focus. She didn't respond.

Ed seized upon her non-answer. "Want to go for a walk?"

A long moment passed.

"Where?"


	38. Missed Moments

**Chapter 38 – Missed Moments**

* * *

Three graves sat atop the hill, the grass around them short and well-tended, newly-planted flowers at their bases. Ed knew from the delicate white petals they were trilliums – Winry's favorite.

"I got them in the ground a bit late this year," she admitted, crouching to pinch off a withered leaf. "But it was the first time Gran needed some too."

Ed caught a glimpse of the time he'd missed as she patted and smoothed the ground of his father's headstone, her care palpable. The image of her cradling young flowers and gardening tools up the rise alone came to mind.


	39. Visitor

**Chapter 39 – Visitor**

* * *

They left the hill, walking for the road in contemplative silence. Memories and unsaid things swam between them, bogging down actual speech and keeping their tongues captive. A rare breeze drifted over, lifting two shades of blonde hair to waltz alone, grasping and frantic, before falling back to disparate shoulders.

A car engine rumbled in the distance – uncommon despite time's march so far out in the country. Ed looked at the woman high-stepping tall grass beside him. She was concentrating on her feet, thinking deep thoughts.

The car drew closer and her head rose in recognition. Someone she knew approached.

* * *

A/N: **Week of June 13, 2015:** 5 chapters posted


	40. The Boyfriend

**Chapter 40 – The Boyfriend**

* * *

The driver left the engine running and the door open as he bounded to meet them. Worried brown eyes searched Winry's before flicking down her frame.

Ed bristled. _This_ was the owner of the large shirt.

He was younger, taller and more muscled than Ed had_ ever_ been, with an uneasy stance the former alchemist recognized well. _You want to protect her? When she's __mine__?! _

The man extended a black-smudged palm, stained despite washing, and offered a curt nod. Ed shook it, wishing his grip was automail again. A familiar smell of grease and gears rose, making his gaze widen.


	41. Testing Grip

**Chapter 41 – Testing Grip**

* * *

_An automail mechanic?_

Winry stepped up. "Bran, this is Edward Elric."

The fact that she'd addressed their visitor and introduced _him_, as if _he_ were the newcomer, wasn't missed.

Ed clenched the hand in his tighter, knowing it was childish, but taking satisfaction all the same.

The man didn't seem to notice the purposeful pressure, squeezing back absently before loosening his fingers and dropping his arm. "Welcome back Fullmetal," he gave a fleeting, tight smile, his version of polite as chilled as Winry's. His use of the outdated state title showed he'd needed no preface – he knew of Ed well.


	42. Longest Ride

**Chapter 42 – Longest Ride**

* * *

Ed sat in the back of the car, fuming. Winry had completely transformed. She dropped easy smiles into the cab's front, letting them slip like scattered papers she never wanted to pick up, covering the seats with breezy contentment once reserved for him.

He reached for his voice, nearly gagging on rage. "H-How did you two meet?" Fingers gripped the loose fabric of his pants in shaking handfuls.

Bran glanced through the rear-view mirror above his head. "Rush Valley."

Ed's fury spiked. "When?"

A smile of even teeth filled the mirror. "While you were gone."

Fists curled inward, going white.


	43. Glances

**Chapter 43 - Glances**

* * *

Winry tried to slow her hammering heart as she peeked at the rigid man in the back seat. After years of separation, she was surprised he was still easy for her to read. Trees and lush fields whizzed past as Bran drove for the house. She vaguely realized he had asked her something.

"Hmm?" She turned from the blurring scenery.

"How are you?" He repeated, failing to quell irritation as blue eyes darted to the back again. He was going to start counting these stolen glances if they kept up.

"Tired," she said distractedly.

He frowned, throttling the steering wheel.

* * *

A/N: **Week of June 20, 2015:** 4 chapters posted


	44. War Zone

A/N: This is totally for InconsciousSin, who reviewed moments after I posted chapter 43 asking me to update again. Here you go darling – of course I love you!

* * *

**Chapter 44 – War Zone**

* * *

The table was quiet and tense as Winry placed a plate of sandwiches in its center. She settled herself beside Bran, studiously avoiding the brown and golden-eyed glowers trying to outdo each other. She didn't know who was making more headway, but wanted the posturing to end. Her kitchen wasn't a battlefield and her choice was made.

Reaching for a half of thick turkey and swiss, she looked to her fellow mechanic. "I thought you were going to stay at Garfiel's another day."

His hand left the table and fell to her leg, fingering the buckles of her shorts possessively.


	45. Challenge

**Chapter 45 - Challenge**

* * *

"You sounded upset when you called last night," he answered, pulling his gaze from the man he'd had to investigate to learn anything about. Winry had offered little herself. "I came to see if you were okay."

Ed realized when she'd left yesterday she must have phoned to cancel their rendezvous with her see-through dress. He felt a small thrill.

_I hold sway yet._

He quickly sobered as Bran leaned over and kissed her cheek. To her credit, she ducked, blushing in embarrassment.

"But I obviously had nothing to worry about," he glanced over pointedly.

_I'm not going __anywhere__ alchemist._


	46. Sleeping Arrangements

**Chapter 46 – Sleeping Arrangements**

* * *

The mechanic roamed over the neat pile of sheets Ed had refolded that morning, his brow crinkling. He turned to ask how long it would take for the missing automail part, cursing Winry hadn't mentioned it over the phone. He would have searched the entire shop and cobbled _anything_ together if it meant getting the Elric out of her house sooner.

She and her former flame were crouched near the couch in front of Den. He heard soft whispers as Ed and the dog got reacquainted and gritted teeth as she acted as an intermediary.

Their familiarity didn't bode well.


	47. Agony

**Chapter 47 - Agony**

* * *

Ed squeezed his eyes shut, feeling a rush of emotion heat his face. The boyfriend was _staying the night_ and had followed Winry upstairs, palming her back as they took the steps together. Two distinct doors opened and closed at the top, but not before soft murmurs of parting echoed down into the living room.

_He's sleeping in __my__ old room and kissing __my__ fiancé goodnight!_

He palmed his forehead, raking fingers back into loose hair, knowing sleep wasn't an option as fury simmered in his stomach. He'd be_ damned_ if he let that ox-sized bastard sneak into her room.


	48. Wistful Shadows

**Chapter 48 – Wistful Shadows**

* * *

He startled awake, disturbed he'd fallen asleep at all. Creaks sounded from above; someone was making their way downstairs. He tensed as the steps drew near.

A small voice tentatively called, "Ed?"

He bolted upright. "Winry?" His heart started pounding.

Features his mind had memorized appeared in the darkness as she rounded the railing. "Are you awake?"

He nodded, throwing the blanket from his legs and rushing to stand.

She crept closer. "Can we talk?" Her whisper trembled and he tried not to read too much into its waver.

"Of course," he fought back a stammer, extending an arm out.

* * *

A/N: After reading more FMA fanfiction (thanks EC and Ice Shredder), I'm realizing I may have Ed super OOC. Sorry - I can't change him now. Admittedly, I _like_ him a bit more grown-up. Let's just say he left that brash, cursing boy back in Creta...

**Week of June 27, 2015:** 4 chapters posted


	49. Too Good

A/N: Posting Saturday's update a day early because of July 4th plans!

* * *

**Chapter 49 – Too Good**

* * *

She passed him without meeting his gaze, sitting on the sofa's far end. He joined her, shoving sheets away. Old springs, weak and sagging from years of company, made them lean towards each other, thighs inadvertently falling together.

She didn't notice. "I-I… just wanted… to explain," Winry stared at her lap, fidgeting nervously with a fold on her pajamas.

"Me too," he said quickly, stifling the urge to reach for her hand.

Though she'd initiated this unexpected exchange, she seemed hesitant. "I… thought you'd forgotten me," she said. "I thought you'd changed your mind about… us."

His heart's pound thundered.


	50. To Be True

**Chapter 50 – To Be True**

* * *

Despite his sense of self-preservation, he grabbed her fingers. They were slim and callused, conditioned from years of automail repair. She twined them up among his without reserve, offering a smile he could feel through the thick shadows as she edged closer.

"But you didn't, did you?" Warm realization spoke at his cheek. "You came back for me."

A harsh wetness sprang to his eyes. "Of course I did," he blinked it away, glad she couldn't see. "I love you, you gear-head."

Her grin grew. "Then don't give up on me. I'll come around."

He went cold as dread flooded.


	51. Dreaming

**Chapter 51 - Dreaming**

* * *

He gripped the fingers wrapped in his. "What did you say?"

Winry winced. "Ow Ed, you're hurting me."

"'Come around'?" He accused. ""_My _Winry says that."

She looked over wordlessly.

Painful dawning tightened his chest. "This isn't real," he searched her face. "Is it?"

Pity edged her gaze. "You can pretend it is."

He clenched his teeth, grinding them together to keep from screaming. "I can't get to her if you keep reminding me how she used to be."

She pulled a bandana from the couch cushion and expertly tied it over her head.

"I'm all you have left Ed."


	52. Mental Scars

**Chapter 52 – Mental Scars**

* * *

Half of him never wanted to wake; the other half knew he was flirting close to a delusional diagnosis. Extended stays in prison cells did that. His subconscious had saved him once, but now he needed to break free—after imperative information was gleaned.

"Why don't you let Ox-Boy share your bedroom?" He watched the version of Winry entirely from his imagination as she flicked a glance upward.

Chewing her lip, a habit she'd done when younger, but now seemed to have abandoned, answered, "I'm still holding out hope? _You_ were the one I always wanted to wake up beside."


	53. Bliss

**Chapter 53 - Bliss**

* * *

He'd get all he could from his memories. "What should I do?"

She stared at her knees. "I don't know," helplessness sank her shoulders. "I'm not her anymore."

Ed reached out and tucked stray blonde behind a softly-curved ear. When she looked over, he smiled reassuringly. "You're why I'm here. I would've never survived without you."

Winry met his smile, sadness in the corners of her mouth. She'd been beside him while cutting scalpels and scribbled notes filled his days. Though completely fabricated, she was so real, so indisputably still in love with him – he hoped he never woke up.

* * *

A/N: **Week of July 4, 2015:** 5 chapters posted


	54. Not Yet

A/N: I'm sorry for my unannounced week of no updates. I've been reading INSANELY amazing fanfiction (blame Sillybunny =P) and couldn't look at my own writing without wincing. The mojo just wasn't there. BUT – I've returned, with more perseverance than ever! I WILL write a successful drabble! Eheh… eventually. In the meantime, I bring you another novice offering. Enjoy if you can!

* * *

**Chapter 54 – Not Yet**

* * *

Lips he'd traced to escape Cretan torment parted. "Show her how different you are," she whispered. "She hasn't seen you change like I have."

"How?"

A hand clasped his knee. He felt the warmth of her fingers and vaguely wondered if it was further sign of psychosis.

"Don't try to be the Ed she remembers."

"She _liked_ that Ed."

"Not enough to wait," she countered.

His thigh tensed along hers. "What should I do about the automail mechanic?"

Winry scoffed, a touch of mirth warming her features. "If I didn't sleep with him before, I'm _certainly_ not going to now."


	55. Rouse

**Chapter 55 - Rouse**

* * *

Someone was shaking him. Roughly. Ed forced his eyes open, greeted by a very-real blue gaze, worried and wide. Winry clutched his leg, rocking him with growing urgency.

Her voice hitched as he woke. "Are you alright?!" She asked breathlessly.

He didn't answer, pained to have returned to reality.

"Sorry," her stare roamed. "It's just…," she reddened. "You were completely out."

He wiped a hand down his face, brushing away the conversation he'd invented in his mind. "I'm fine," he murmured. "My sleep's deeper now."

"Why?"

He shut his eyes, pushing away the girl in the bandana. "Consciousness… is overrated."


	56. Awake

**Chapter 56 - Awake  
**

* * *

Ed flicked briefly to the fingers at his knee. _The warmth_. Clearing his throat, he started sitting up. "Did I say anything?"

Winry shook her head. "Why? Were you dreaming?"

A bitter smile pulled at his mouth. "Maybe _this_ is the dream."

Her gaze grew intense as she sifted for his meaning. Emotion he knew she didn't want seen broke across her features.

_ She still cares about me!_

It came like a slap that left him breathless. He forced his expression blank.

A wide form interrupted, shadowing the living room's doorway. "If only Fullmetal," Bran sighed wearily. "More like nightmare."


	57. Caught

**Chapter 57 - Caught**

* * *

Breakfast had brimmed with stilted niceties and covert glowers. After, Bran called and canceled his service appointments for the next two days, now washing dishes with an irritation he couldn't quite hide. Plates clanged together as he soaped and scrubbed.

His back was an angry wall at the sink and Ed frowned at the gratuitous tightness of his shirt.

_We get it. You're covered in muscles_, he almost snorted. _No need to be a spectacle in something obviously too small._

He felt someone watching and turned to the girl rising from her chair. Amusement—just for him—lit her eyes.

* * *

A/N: **Week of July 18, 2015:** 4 chapters posted


	58. Project

**Chapter 58 – Project **

* * *

Winry left the porch, knowing the reluctant pair would follow. Den raced for her heels as she made her way toward a canvas-covered pile.

Bran eyed the house's chipped siding as they traipsed through grass he had recently mowed, already guessing her intent.

Though he wanted little part in her latest project, smugness filled him as Ed's brows hiked in curiosity.

_Ha! _He thought._ He hasn't helped since that damned roof he re-shingled with his brother!_

Winry bent down, whipping the covering off a cluster of unopened paint cans.

The alchemist's face fell and Bran agreed with a begrudging grimace.

* * *

A/N: I wrote an Ed/Win lemon last year and alluded to Ed painting the Rockbell's house. Ha! I worked it in – yay for persistent plot bunnies! If any of you are interested in said lemon, it's on my personal fanfic website (linked in my author profile).


	59. Proposition

**Chapter 59 – Proposition**

* * *

Ed took the paint scraper she handed over, staring with increasing trepidation. "You need help… painting this… wall?"

The man beside him snorted. "She wants us to do the whole house."

He paled, glancing at steep sides that seemed to tower. Had he thought they looked faded? They were _fine_.

"Erm…," his brow knotted. "I don't know much about—."

She waved him away, toeing a sealed metal lid at her feet. "You'll be great. Bran can teach you."

Den wagged her tail in agreement.

A line appeared at Ed's jaw.

The mechanic sighed. She'd known_ exactly_ what to say.


	60. Old Coat

**Chapter 60 – Old Coat**

* * *

They stood at opposite corners of the house, digging under old paint that came off in wide flakes. The sun beat down, beading sweat into eyes already sick of the sight of yellow. Wiping perspiration with similar curses, they worked their way to the back, meeting halfway as the sun started its afternoon descent.

Bran gave a curt nod when his shoulder bumped Ed's. They had raced without dignity when rounding the house, trying to outdo each other. Now the automail mechanic put the unspoken competition to rest, magnanimously offering out an olive branch. "You know we're being played, right?"

* * *

A/N: Sorry for this chapter coming so late in the week. Tomorrow will receive two new ones as usual.

**Week of July 25, 2015:** 3 chapters posted


	61. Rescinded Offer

**Chapter 61 – Rescinded Offer**

* * *

Ed smirked. "Completely," he agreed. "But _you_ know she's worth it," he cast a sideways glance. "And _I_ have lots to apologize for."

Bran was surprised at the confidence and camaraderie, and even more that it was for _him_. He didn't know much about the Elric brother, but what he'd wheedled from Winry alluded to someone who made easy friends and kept them when things stopped being easy.

The younger man stiffened. He wanted _no_ inroads towards _that _and stretched up to scrape paint beyond Ed's reach. "I have nothing to be sorry about," he said curtly, regretting his civility.


	62. Stubborn

**Chapter 62 - Stubborn**

* * *

"I wasn't gone so long she forgot how to be herself," muscles in his arm flexed as he rose to his toes, feeling the need to show how high he could go without a ladder.

_We will __not__ be friends Fullmetal, despite Winry's scheming._

Ed stepped back against the new shower of flakes. He watched the automail mechanic wordlessly, calmly folding his own scraper under crossed arms.

Bran knew he looked foolish, but didn't care. He gouged into the Rockbell residence, hating the history behind its splintered clapboards. He spoke without realizing. "I love her more than you _ever_ did."


	63. Oblivious

**Chapter 63 – Oblivious**

* * *

Ed's eyes narrowed. The calm vanished. His fingers tightened around the scraper, going white. "I doubt that," he said thickly. Images of childhood flashed, consuming the smell of old paint – he and Winry holding hands as they ran through tall grass, laughing until their sides hurt, teasing with barely veiled affection and ease. The picture grew sharp—painful.

Bran frowned at the faraway look in his gaze. It held even more history than the house. "Maybe she's ready for someone who won't leave and assume everything will stay on hold," he challenged, letting his arms fall heavily. "Someone like me."


	64. Teetering Edge

**Chapter 64 – Teetering Edge**

* * *

Ed's stare refocused only to the point of dumbstruck. He groped for words in the suffocating temperature as temper reared in his stomach. "Y-You don't know _anything_ about us!" He fought the practiced instinct to palm the ground and transfigure a giant earthen fist to punch the younger man from his feet. No power simmered in his hands and he stood, nearly-vibrating, with the need to physically retaliate. "You don't know what it took to get back to her! What she means to me!"

Bran wasn't stupid. He recognized the rage before him – a few poorly-chosen words from exploding everywhere.


	65. Swagger

**Chapter 65 – Swagger**

* * *

"Enlighten me then," he invited, bravely being dry. He returned his scraper to the house's side, this time within Ed's range.

Ed watched him scratch more of the yellow layer, feeling surly and spiteful. "I've known Winry since she was a girl," he made no move to help. "We grew up together. She was my best friend besides my brother."

"Friends?" Bran almost snorted. "Such a passionate past."

"Like your present?"

The mechanic flinched. His arm paused mid-stroke. "What if we only slept separately to be respectful?" He said brusquely.

"Than I'd wonder why _my_ feelings matter more than yours."

* * *

A/N: This is the final chapter from last week's update. Sorry its so late, I went camping over the weekend and got injured (second degree burns on my hands). Until I heal, _Days After_ is on hiatus.

**Week of August 1, 2015:** 5 chapters posted


	66. Glimpse Within

A/N: Whoo-hoo! My hands are all better! (Four doctor visits later.) Happy day. Sorry this fic went on such a long break, hopefully it won't happen again.

* * *

**Chapter 66 – Glimpse Within **

* * *

Bran's eyes bugged. Ed had spoken only to taunt, not meaning to stumble on truth. Watching him process, he realized he'd done just that.

The younger man worked through shock and anger, his scraper poised against wood.

A twinge of pity twisted the Elric's gut. He tried to resist, but gave up at the poorly-masked doubt before him.

_I'm an __ass__. _

"Look," he joined him, lifting his own tool. "I don't know—."

Bran's ground his teeth together. "Quiet," he growled, attacking the paint with renewed zeal. "I don't need_ you_ making _me_ feel better."

"Me?" Ed started scraping. "Never."


	67. Engaged

**Chapter 67 – Engaged**

* * *

"You're the guy who _stole_ my fiancé," Ed muttered. "You're the one owing _me_ explanations."

The mechanic jolted, doing a double-take. "What?!"

His brows shot upwards. _Oh no._

"You two were… _engaged_?!"

_Damnit._

Bran turned, staring wide-eyed. "But you weren't ever... together."

Ed met his gaze, truly seeing his age for the first time. He was only his junior by a few years, but important milestones yet to be hurdled separated them in_ vast_ ways.

He spoke with a sigh. "I knew the day my mother died," he patted his left leg, concealed from habit in pants despite the heat.


	68. Doomed

**Chapter 68 - Doomed**

* * *

"Winry_ literally_ put me back together again," he didn't know how much the man knew about alchemy or human transfiguration, but wasn't about to elaborate. "She didn't judge or scold or cower back. She just wanted to help Al and I," his voice hitched, breaking at his brother's name. "I'll never love any woman but her for it."

Bran's eyes bored into his. He contemplated their origins, revealed more than he'd _ever_ been privy to. "So she you ruined you, huh?" He finally said.

Ed pulled himself from memories of darker days, addicting in their self-penance. A defeated smile rose.


End file.
